The Artificer's Portal
By Pat Backmann and Andrew Searles
The Artificer's PortalDec 25, 2022
TAP 15: This Episode Was Not Generated By AI
Join Pat and Andrew as they talk to Andrew Zhu, creator of Avrae, a discord bot designed to help you and your friends play D&D online. Zhu is an expert in language-based AI and has found a way to use ttrpgs as a testing ground for AI performance. In this episode, you can hear him answer the many questions brought up by Pat and Andrew regarding the efficacy of AI, how it can help DMs run their games, and what the future looks like for AI in the realm of game-playing and storytelling.
Guest: Andrew Zuh. You can follow him by going to Zuh.codes
Discussion Topics: Using AI to run TTRPGs as a game runner, creating random encounters and outcomes of interactions, the efficacy of AI in story telling and game management.
Sponsor: Start Playing Games. Whether you are a TTRPG player or a DM, find a group you can instantly book a game with by going to StartPlaying.Games. Check out Pat and Andrew’s Episode with the Company’s Founder here.
Credits: Gabriel Gonzalez from theinspiredbard.com for the use of our theme song and Lee Smithson for the voiceover recording.
For updates on the show, follow @acsearles on Twitter.
TAP 14: Gnome for the Holidays
Join Pat and Andrew as they talk to Anne the Gnome, an all out DM and D&D enthusiast who uses AI art to help tell the stories and design the characters used in her games. Anne is known by her audience on TikTok for using prompts she either makes up for herself or gets from her community and imputing them into the Discord AI art software called MidJourney, to get these illustrations. In this episode, she shares the benefits and realistic expectations people can have when they use AI art software to create and share their own ideas. She also weighs in with the guys on topics like, what impact AI art will have on the value of creators and their work, and how the D&D community feels about using AI art software….she also knows a lot about mushrooms.
Guest: Anne the Gnome. You can follow her on TicTok @annethegnome
Discussion Topics: Using AI art bots to recreate our imagination in roleplaying games, The Impact of AI in the value of Art and Artists, the TTRPG Community’s reaction to using AI art.
Sponsor: Start Playing Games. Whether you are a TTRPG player or a DM, find a group you can instantly book a game with by going to StartPlaying.Games. Check out Pat and Andrew’s Episode with the Company’s Founder here.
Credits: Gabriel Gonzalez from theinspiredbard.com for the use of our theme song and Lee Smithson for the voiceover recording.
For updates on the show, follow @acsearles on Twitter.
TAP 13: Face/On
Join Pat and Andrew as they talk to Gunnar Holmsteinn from Quest Portal, and get his “hot take” on the importance of actually seeing your character as you play TTRPGs. Gunnar and his team at Quest Portal, have found a way to help players organize their games and characters and help them generate custom portraits of their characters that they can use to illustrate what they look like to the rest of the party. This episode also continues the ongoing conversation the guys like to have about using tools like video conferencing to contribute to the immersion that characters feel when playing their games.
Guest: Gunnar Homsteinn from Quest Portal. You can follow him on Twitter @questportal_app or questportal.com.
Discussion Topics: Video Conferencing for Immersion, Character Portrait Generation
Sponsor: Start Playing Games. Whether you are a TTRPG player or a DM, find a group you can instantly book a game with by going to StartPlaying.Games. Check out Pat and Andrew’s Episode with the Company’s Founder here.
Credits: Gabriel Gonzalez from theinspiredbard.com for the use of our theme song and Lee Smithson for the voiceover recording.
For updates on the show, follow @acsearles on Twitter.
TAP 12: Roll for Immersion (Part 2)
Join Pat and Andrew in part 2 of their conversation with Chris Eddie from AlchemyRPG. In this episode, you can listen to them talk about methods of measuring Immersion and debate as to whether or not "ease of use" and fun are the same thing. Towards the end they also discuss the impact that different tools like audio chat, video calling, and digital avatars can have on the relationships you build when playing ttrpgs online.
Guest: Chris Eddie from AlchemyRPG. You can find him on Twitter @chrisjeddie.
Discussion Topics: Digital Technology's Effect on Immersion and Fun.
Sponsor: Start Playing Games. Whether your are a TTRPG player or a DM, find a group you can instantly book a game with by going to StartPlaying.Games. Check out Pat and Anderw's episode with the company's founder here.
Credits: Gabriel Gonzalez from theinspiredbard.com for the use of our theme song and Lee Smithson for the voiceover recording.
For updates on the show, follow @acsearles on Twitter.
TAP 11: Roll for Immersion
Join Pat and Andrew as they talk with Chris Eddie from AlchemyRPG. Listen as they chat about immersion and how digital tools can help improve immersion in your games. Or do they? Immersion and fun are illusive and nebulas topics. They discuss times where digital tools might get in the way and harm your immersion and fun. They also touch on how someone might measure immersion and compare different solutions to one another.
Guest: Chris Eddie from AlchemyRPG. You can find him on Twitter @chrisjeddie.
Discussion Topics: Digital Technology's Effect on Immersion and Fun.
Credits: Gabriel Gonzalez from theinspiredbard.com for the use of our theme song and Lee Smithson for the voiceover recording.
For updates on the show, follow @acsearles on Twitter.
Tap 10: Friends
If you're new to the Artificer's Portal, this is a great place to jump into the conversation!
Join Pat and Andrew as they talk discuss the last 9 episodes and how the conversation has evolved. They review each guest and sum up the important points.
Discussion Topics: The Player's Experience in TTRPGs, the importance of roleplaying games, the future of roleplaying games, etc.
Credits: Gabriel Gonzalez from theinspiredbard.com for the use of our theme song and Lee Smithson for the voiceover recording.
For updates on the show, follow @acsearles on Twitter.
Tap 9: Big Things have Small Beginnings
Join Pat and Andrew as they talk with Teagan Morrison from HeroForge. Listen as they chat about how a simple task of imagining your character in a 3D space turns into inspiring players in new ways. They discuss the validity of using 3D technology to recreate your imagination, what might be too much in terms of 3D tools, why we all don't just LARP, how Disney Theme Parks are getting it right, and why there are no enlarge potions in Teagan's Workshop.
Guest: Teagan Morrison from heroforge.com. You can find him on Twitter @TeaganMorrison
Discussion Topics: Recreating the a physical roleplaying game experience in the digital world.
Credits: Gabriel Gonzalez from theinspiredbard.com for the use of our theme song and Lee Smithson for the voiceover recording.
For updates on the show, follow @acsearles on Twitter.
TAP 8: Use Your Illusion III
Join Pat and Andrew as they talk with Grant Anderson from Mirrorscape and ARcana. Listen as they chat about the future of VTTs as AR and VR technology becomes more prevalent. They discuss the definition what AR and VR, the difference between them, playing an RPG with AR glasses, and remembering where you put your glasses.
Guest: Grant Anderson from mirrorscape.com and @mirrorscapexr on Twitter.
Discussion Topics: Will we all be playing Roleplaying Games with AR glasses in the near future?
Credits: Gabriel Gonzalez from theinspiredbard.com for the use of our theme song and Lee Smithson for the voiceover recording.
For updates on the show, follow @acsearles on Twitter.
Show Notes:
2:40 - ARcana on Kickstarter
5:40 - Conversation Start
6:57 - Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality
7:00 - Ready Player One
8:00 - Rumors about Apple's AR/VR headset and the WWDC 2022 announcements
8:15 - LIDAR
8:30 - GPS and Geolocation
10:13 - Roll20
11:45 - GoogleGlass
13:15 - Wave Guides
14:55 - Shaun White
15:27 - Tim Cook
15:40 - AirPods
17:15 - Apple's M1 and M2 chips
20:45 - Minority Report
28:30 - Mist
31:55 - Bridgerton
32:10 - LARPing
32:30 - Reference to the Tomb of Annihilation
32:52 - Owlbear.rodeo
32:52 - Skeuomorphism
33:38 - Disney World and Black Spire Outpost
36:10 - D&D
36:40 - Metaverse
37:47 - Legos
TAP 7: VTT GG
Join Pat and Andrew as they talk with Nicola Thouliss and Mitch McCaffrey about the VTT they built called Owlbear Rodeo. Come through the portal as they start to explore the wild and crazy world of Virtual Tabletops (VTT). They discuss the definition of VTT, what makes a VTT easy to use, the pros and cons of easy-to-use VTTs, what an immersive VTT might look like, and the validity of a future Virtual Reality VTT.
Guest: Nicola Thouliss (@nthouliss) and Mitch McCaffrey.
Discussion Topics: What will make the best VTT? Simple to use or immersive 3D? Will Virtual Reality be good for VTTs?
Credits: Gabriel Gonzalez from theinspiredbard.com for the use of our theme song and Lee Smithson for the voiceover recording.
For updates on the show, follow @acsearles on Twitter.
Show Notes:
1:20 - Mike Shea from Sly Flourish
2:35 - Unreal Engine VR Cookbook by Mitch McCaffrey
4:30 - Owlbear Rodeo
7:00 - Kenku FM
22:00 - Google Drawings
TAP 6: Foreplay
Join Pat and Andrew as they Talk with Mike Shea (Sly Flourish) about his views on a simple future for DM prep, how technology could help make it more simple, and how technology can really get in the way. We also touch on how a player might be able to prep for a game session, simple to use VTTs, where you can take notes, and what ZERO DM prep might look like.
Guest: Mike Shea from SlyFlourish.com; @slyflourish on twitter.
Discussion Topics: Can technology help DM prep or will it just get in the way?
Credits: Gabriel Gonzalez from theinspiredbard.com for the use of our theme song and Lee Smithson for the voiceover recording.
For updates on the show, follow @acsearles on Twitter.
Show Notes:
1:41 - Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master
16:39 - Notion - First of multiple mentions
16:45 - Microsoft OneNote
18:10 - Discord
18:20 - Owlbear Rodeo
20:05 - Sly Flourish's Podcasts
21:57 - D&D
23:33 - Sly Flourish's Fantastic Adventures
24:56 - Lazy DM's Companion
36:45 - Numenera & MCDM Productions
28:20 - David Allen
31:29 - World Anvil
31:40 - Obsidian Note Taking
32:11 - Monte Cook Games
34:30 - Castle Ravenloft in Minecraft
37:15 - Bloodborn
40:00 - Neverwinter Video Game
44:22 - Curse of Strahd
44:48 - M.T. Black
45:00 - Decent into Avernus
52:10 - Icewind Dale Rime of the Frostmaiden (SPOILERS!!)
TAP 5: A Victoribus Historia Scribitur
Join Pat and Andrew as they Talk with Braden Herndon, the creator of LegendKeeper, about digital content tools for TTRPGs, how game masters use world building tools to prep for a game, tracking consistency during or after a game, and how world building can be collaborative during the game.
Guest: Braden Herndon from LegendKeeper; @adventurebeard on twitter.
Discussion Topics: Are world building wikis the best way to deliver digital TTRPG content? What effect do they have on DM prep?
Credits: Gabriel Gonzalez from theinspiredbard.com for the use of our theme song and Lee Smithson for the voiceover recording.
For updates on the show, follow @acsearles on Twitter.
TAP 4: By Hook or by Book (Part 2)
Join Pat and Andrew as they continue a discussion they had about the future of Book Publishing in the TTRPG space with the legendary book publisher Wolfgang Baur, CEO of Kobold Press. In part two of the discussion, our hosts go toe-to-toe with Wolfgang to discuss the merits and pitfalls of books in the digital age for TTRPGs. Decide for yourself which side wins.
Guest: Wolfgang Baur from Kobold Press; @monkeyking on twitter
Discussion Topics: Does the future of Tabletop Role-playing Games include books?
Credits: Gabriel Gonzalez from theinspiredbard.com for the use of our theme song and Lee Smithson for the voiceover recording.
For updates on the show, follow @acsearles on Twitter.
TAP 3: By Hook or by Book (Part 1)
Join Pat and Andrew as they discuss the future of Book Publishing in the TTRPG space with the legendary book publisher Wolfgang Baur, CEO of Kobold Press. In this two part discussion, our hosts go toe-to-toe with Wolfgang to discuss the merits and pitfalls of books in the digital age for TTRPGs.
Guest: Wolfgang Baur from Kobold Press; @Monkeyking on twitter
Discussion Topics: Does the future of Tabletop Role-playing Games include books?
Credits: Gabriel Gonzalez from theinspiredbard.com for the use of our theme song and Lee Smithson for the voiceover recording.
TAP 2: Insert Creative Title Here
Join Pat and Andrew as they discuss their lack of creativity and their growing dependence on tools that can help inspire both a player and GM during a game to better describe their actions, environments, character looks, and many other things. With the help of their guest, David Shulman, they tackle the topic of how digital tools that make it easy to access descriptive boxed text and how these tools are changing the way we play tabletop role-playing games.
Guest: David Shulman from dscryb.com @dScrybBoxedText on twitter
Discussion Topics: Can Creative Gameplay be Supplemented by Technology?
Credits: Gabriel Gonzalez from theinspiredbard.com for the use of our theme song and Lee Smithson for the voiceover recording.
TAP 1: Toss a Coin to your Game Master
Join Pat and Andrew as they discuss the benefits and drawbacks of DMs for hire with Devon Chulick from startplaying.games. They touch on the value of looking for group and scheduling tools while making sure to cover how technology is changing tabletop role-playing games.
Guest: Devon Chulick from Startplaying.games and Total Party Chill @devonchulick on twitter
Discussion Topics
- Looking for Group
- Game Masters for Hire
- Scheduling and Starting Games
Credits
- Gabriel Gonzalez from theinspiredbard.com for the use of our theme song
- Lee Smithson for the voiceover recording
Session 0: Introduction
Before you subscribe, get a quick intro to Pat and Andrew as they talk through the inspiration and genesis of The Artificer's Portal.
Every two weeks, Pat and Andrew interview an interesting and influential artificer that is building digital tools for role-playing games, asking questions that dig into their tool's effect on roleplaying games and how they are changing the way we play.